


Between the Moon and New York City

by frey



Category: 30 Rock
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-09
Updated: 2013-06-09
Packaged: 2017-12-14 11:13:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/836277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frey/pseuds/frey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Remember when Floyd got drunk and this universe got sad all of a sudden? Jack and Liz regroup.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Between the Moon and New York City

**Title:** Between the Moon and New York City  
 **Author:** [](http://frey-at-last.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://frey-at-last.livejournal.com/)**frey_at_last**  
 **Rating:** PG  
 **Tags:** 30 Rock, Liz/Floyd, Jack/Liz  
 **Spoilers:** "Floyd"  


 **Summary:** Jack and Liz regroup.

Liz didn't call him that night, which he hadn't anticipated, but Jack wasn't surprised when he found her in her office the next morning, looking woeful and forlorn, and wearing more flannel. She eyed him as he closed the door.

"I know, I know, I look crappy and I need to get over it. But I get one day."

"I wasn't going to comment," Jack said, "but come to think, your eyes do look a little puffy."

"Yeah, I got like forty-five minutes of sleep, and when I ran out of wine I started in on the household cleaners, so... That was a joke."

"I guessed." He sat on the arm of the couch and watched her.

"What sucks is it's not even over -- now I have three weeks to sit around and think about this wedding."

"I understand. In fact, I was going to suggest you back out. But I've come to the conclusion that it will be good for you to face this head on and plow through. Weddings are usually the most stressful, nauseating part of any relationship, and if you spend enough time with Floyd's mother-in-law, you may emerge completely cauterized and ready to move on."

"Wow. That is grim, but you have a point." Liz settled across from him on the edge of her desk.

"And having successfully avoided embarrassing interruptions to the ceremony, obscene and wistful toasts, or drunken phone calls to the couple on their honeymoon, you'll have no regrets. You will certainly recover a more equitable attitude toward Cleveland."

"That's... very optimistic of you, Jack."

"I don't see any reason to think it unrealistic."

"And then I'll meet the man of my dreams, huh?"

"Sooner or later."

"Well, I'm glad one of us is chipper about it." There was a definite bite to her words, and Jack hesitated.

"Were you really so certain he was the one for you?"

"I dunno anymore. He was the best boyfriend I'd had, by far. But maybe I was just desperate enough to hope for anything that came close. And obviously he wasn't really on board."

"I thought at the time he was very taken with you."

She shrugged. "Y'know, when he got drunk, he said... stuff to me."

"What kind of stuff?"

"I... it doesn't matter what kind of stuff, but, if what I thought was pretty good was really so bad, then, I don't know about what I can expect from guys I'm even less sure about, Jack."

"You know, Lemon, when someone is drunk, they don't always mean --"

"Yeah, that's not -- I get that. I'm not upset. I've just been thinking about it."

"What did he say?"

"I told you he's moving back to New York, right."

"You did."

"So I guess his dream of living the suburbs, breathing fresh air, getting out of the rat race, or like, his lawyer job in Cleveland, are all worth giving up for his awesome model fiance."

Jack snort-laughed. "A model in Cleveland, maybe."

"A model in Cleveland is enough, apparently! A model is a model. A blond is a blond."

"I'm certain Floyd isn't marrying her because she's _blond_."

"No, you're right -- he's marrying her because she's _alive_. She's not a _badger_ with sex rules, reasonable sex rules."

"Is _that_ what he told you?" Off her silence: "Oh, Lemon. Surely he could do better than that."

"Shut up."

He exhaled. "C'mere." Reaching for her, he wrapped an arm casually around her shoulders and she slumped, face-first, into his chest.

"And I think he's right." Her voice was muffled against his shirt, but he thought she was getting a little choked up. "I do yell at guys, even guys I like. I'm a cynical, critical, shrewy kind of person. And I'd like to say I don't _want_ to be, but I don't think I can change at this point. I'm almost forty, and forty is too late to change personalities -- I'll be hateful forever."

"You're not hateful."

Someone knocked once on the door and swung it open a crack, but Jack pushed it firmly closed.

"We need the penis pasta, pronto!" Frank yelled.

"We're not finished!" Jack thundered. There was silence.

"You're not hateful," he said again, after a moment. "You might be sour, but that's hardly a flaw."

"Being sour is not a flaw?"

"Of course not. Granted, usually a particularly vicious woman will balance it out with a sizable fortune or a prestigious fashion line, but--"

"Okay, stop." She'd removed her face from his shirtfront, and was sniffing.

" _But_ \-- you are not particularly vicious, and whatever acidic quality you do have only makes you more... engaging."

She looked up at him, eyes narrowed. "You think I'm engaging?"

He sighed loudly but smoothed his hand across her back a little.

"I totally wasn't fishing with this, you know."

"I know. My point is that I'm disappointed in Floyd both for his lack of originality and his failure to value your ... your assets."

"Well, I didn't know you liked my assets so much, Jack." Now she was definitely teasing. He released her with another sigh and moved to leave.

"I've had enough, and I'm leaving you to your coworkers."

"I appreciate your assets, too, Jack."

"This is why I never encourage you." He paused in the doorway, and Liz leaned on the door handle.

"Bye, Jack." She was smiling at him, which he considered a sufficient reward.

"Come on, girls, fork over the pasta." Frank, who was attempting to elbow his way into Liz's office, had the decency to quake when Jack fixed him with a look.

"I'll fork your mom's pasta," Liz said.

"I'll see you later, Lemon."

"Okay. And, um -- thanks for the budget notes."

Jack patted the door frame. "Anytime."


End file.
